1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a non-rise bidet valve and more particularly to a bidet valve having an integral vacuum breaker to prevent reverse flow siphoning of unpotable fluid back through the bidet valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bidet valves of the above type are generally connected in fluid receiving relation with the output of conventional hot and cold water valves. The bidet valve blends the hot and cold water and then supplies the blended water to either a first or a second discharge opening connected, respectively, to a bidet spray head in a center bottom region of the bidet bowl or to a passage in a circumferential rim of the bidet bowl from which it passes through small openings to provide a rim wash of the bidet bowl. Operation of the bidet valve permits a selective sequential diversion of the incoming blended water, usually first to the center spray head and then to the bowl rim channel to provide the rim wash to cleanse the bidet bowl after use. Because of the need to provide for diversion of the incoming water to separate discharge openings, existing diverter valves have been complex in design and thus more expensive to manufacture and service.
Another problem arises with prior bidet valves because applicable plumbing codes frequently require that a separate vacuum breaking valve mechanism of some type be installed in the water supply lines of the bidet installation to prevent malfunction in the water supply system from creating a suction that could cause siphoning of unpotable fluid from the bidet bowl back into the potable water supply lines. For sake of convenient reference, such valve mechanisms will be referred to as vacuum breakers. To comply with such codes, prior practice has been to install a separate vacuum breaker valve in the water supply to the bidet valve to provide an air inlet that will admit atmospheric air at a critical level above the bidet rim. The addition of a separate vacuum breaker can add over two hundred dollars to the cost of the bidet fittings alone and connecting such a separate vacuum breaker in the bidet installation increases the labor costs.
A further disadvantage in prior art installations arises when service is required and in such event the service personnel must test both the bidet valve and the separate vacuum breaker. The complex design makes disassembly and service of two valve components more difficult and costly, and with such prior art designs it was not possible to quickly service the bidet valve and vacuum breaker.
The problem which prior art designs do not solve is to provide a non-rise bidet valve which is simple in design and low in cost to manufacture. Further, the valve should be instantly convertible to vacuum breaker or non-vacuum breaker operation to avoid the necessity of providing a separate vacuum breaker in the bidet installation and yet be easily and quickly serviced.